Declination of Charging Officer Summaries

The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City follows the recommendations of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys' (APA)2016 Use of Force Project. The 21st Century Prosecution Standards developed through the project propose that a prosecutor communicate directly with the public when declining to charge an officer after a police-involved use of force investigation. The project recommends that the prosecutor provide his/her decision in a detailed letter, on the office website or other easily accessible means.

The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City will post summaries of investigations to this webpage any time a Baltimore Police officer is suspected of criminally assaulting or fatally wounding a person in Baltimore City or other cases involving officers where their behavior is a matter of major public concern but the Office declines to charge the involved officer(s).

Links to case summaries are provided below. There, you will find the explanation and rationale for the decision not to pursue criminal charges against the involved officer(s), as well as supporting evidence and documentation for the declination to charge.

In cases where the Office or an independent investigator chooses to bring charges against the involved officer(s), the legal process will move forward as it would in any other active criminal case for which prosecutors are ethically barred from commenting publicly.

For more information on the Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s “Peace Officer Use of Force Project” and recommendations, please click here.